How to do a Part-Time Diet Right

Let's face it: Dieting is tough. But you know what might ease the agony of calorie counting and giving up cheeseburgers? Doing a diet on a sometimes basis. That's the idea behind part-time diet plans, which are suddenly catching on. A writer for Salon recently chronicled  how much better she feels now that she's a vegan half the day, which allows her to still enjoy her beloved roast chicken. Similarly, intermittent fasting is based around the concept that you only fast at certain times. Even celebs are getting flexy—remember Beyonce and Jay Z's 22 days of veganism last December? 

Doing a diet part-time has its positives. As long as you don't supplement your part-time diet with a part-time regimen of going overboard, you'll be setting yourself up for weight loss and/or better health—albeit at a slower pace than if you dieted full-on, says Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D., a Philadelphia-based nutritionist. And since you're not giving up any specific food all the time, you're less likely experience the deprivation that can make it so difficult to actually stick with a full-time diet. OK, but the drawbacks: When you don't fully commit to altering your eating habits, it may be more difficult to maintain the weight loss or health benefits long-term, says Brill. Also, part-time can be a slippery slope. Unless you define it firmly, it's easy to blow it off. If you're going to do it, make sure to stick to these three rules:

Don't Go Too Low-Cal
Consuming fewer than 800 calories even for one day sinks your energy, kills your mood, and doesn't even work—your body goes into starvation mode and hangs onto fat, says Brill. Basically, your body conspires against you, which won't help you drop pounds or work toward better health.

Don't Forget to Break a Sweat
It's hard to achieve significant weight-loss results from exercise alone, but if you make sure to do it during the days you aren't restricting your eating, it can help you to keep off what you've already shed, says Brill. (It's OK to skip intense workouts on days you're restricting what you eat since you'll likely have less energy.) Staying active also boosts your energy and mood, and that makes even part-time dieting more bearable. 

Do It for Better Health, Not Just Weight Loss
This way, you'll be framing your part-time diet as something positive that broadens your life, not a restrictive regimen that's all about skimping on the good stuff. "You won't have that same sense of deprivation, and that makes it easier to stick to," says Brill. 

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